This invention relates generally to electronic parts carriers used with a parts-mounting machine, and more particularly to such parts carriers or containers for integrated circuits with a so-called quad in-line package where leads are formed in four directions.
Conventional methods of carrying large-sized electronic parts with leads and other electronic parts generally utilize a so called paper tape or tray. More particularly, a paper tape is a tape-like carrier made of paper where recesses are formed in line for containing parts therein, and a tray is a carrier made of a synthetic resin so as to provide a plurality of recesses for containg parts therein. These recesses are formed through injection molding or vacuum or low pressure forming methods.
In the aforesaid prior art, since the depth of each recess is greater than the height of an IC chip to be placed in the recess, the chip is apt to vibrate during carrying. As a result of such vibration or movement within each recess or casing, the chip leads are apt to be damaged or deformed by receiving undesirable stress or shock.
Damaged or deformed comb-like leads sometimes provide undesirable phenomena such as poor contact or short circuiting, lowering the reliability of the product. Therefore, it has hitherto been necessary to add a process of rearranging of the teeth or pins of deformed leads using a rearranger so that the pitch of the teeth is uniform.
As described in the above, according to conventional chip carrier technology, the chip leads are apt to suffer from deformation and therefore such deformation is a reason for increasing cost because the deformed leads have to be rearranged by an additional process while such deformation sometimes deteriorates the product quality.
In addition, when chips in the carrier are moved when keeping in storage or the like, not only the leads but also the chip proper is apt to be damaged due to vibrations of the chip within the recess or casing of the conventional carrier.